Levin



Feb. 14, 1956 J. LEVIN BOBBY PIN RECEPTACLE AND SPREADER Filed March 20,1953 INVENTOR.

e v i n Joel L ATTO R N EY United States Patent BOBBY PIN RECEPTACLE ANDSPREADER Joel Levin, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application March 20, 1953, Serial No. 343,644

3 Claims. (Cl. 132-1) My invention relates to a bobby pin receptacle andopener which is simple to manufacture, portable and constructed in sucha manner that it may be fastened to a mirror in the home or may becarried about for use when traveling.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a receptacle for bobbypins and the like which may be quickly and easily attached to a mirroror other smooth surface where it will be ready for instant use.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a receptacle whichwill, when set down on a table or the like, provide a stable receptaclefor bobby pins without tilting and. spilling its contents.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a hobby pinreceptacle which presents a variety of pin opening means in any positionWhether attached to a mirror or at rest on a table top.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the specification anddrawings in which- Fig. l is a front isometric view of the receptacleshowing one of the pin spreaders in use;

Fig. 2 is a rear isometric view of the receptacle showing a second pinspreader being used;

Fig. 3 is a fragmetric isometric view of the front spreader and guideshown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the receptacle;

Fig. 5 is a section taken along 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawing, 1 is the front of the receptacle, 2 the backand 3 and 4 the sides, 6 is a central divider and 7 a removable top.Preferably I make the entire main portion of the receptacle and openersfrom plastic moulded in one piece; but for the purposes of explanation Irefer to the various portionsas attached.

To the front 1 in any convenient location I attach a substantiallyV-shaped bobby pin opener 8 and within the V provide an indentation 9.

The V-shaped opener provides a guide for the long prong 10 of the bobbypin 11, enabling the operator to open the pin, as shown in Fig. 1,without looking to see exactly where the top of the V is located. Inaddition to the V-shaped opener 8, the indentation 9 may be used to opena bobby pin as shown clearly by Fig. 3.

At the rear of the receptacle, I provide a third means of opening abobby pin consisting of an inner triangular piece 12 aflixed with thepoint of the triangle upwards, and an outer slightly larger triangle 13superimposed over and afl'ixed to the triangle 12.

To the rear of the triangular piece 13 I attach by cementing or othersuitable means, a suction cup stem 14 in such a position that theoutward flare 15 of the cup, at its lowermost portion, is even with thebottom of the receptacle so that when the receptacle is placed on a flatsurface the flare 15 and stem 14 act as a leg preventing tilting of thereceptacle and providing stability when a hobby pin is opened with therear opener 12 and 13 2 as is shown in Figs. 2, 4 and 5. In thisconnection, it will be noted that because of the larger size of the part13, and its consequent overlapping of the part 12, there isautomatically provided a retaining guide for the bobby pin preventingthe spreading tines from slipping rear- Wardly off the opener 12.

In operation on a mirror surface the flare of the suc tion cup ispressed on the mirror surface until firmly emplaced and the cover 7removed exposing the bobby pins held in the compartments formed by thesides 1 and 2, ends 3 and 4 and center pieces 6. A bobby pin, on beingremoved, may now be opened by use of the V piece 8 as shown in Fig. 1,or by the indentation 9, as shown by Fig. 3. Should the operator notdesire to attach the receptacle to the mirror, it may be set on anysmooth surface and on removal of the bobby pin it may be operated by useof the rear opener 12; stability of the receptacle being maintained by acontinuation of receptacle breadth and support by the vacuum cup flare15 and stem 14.

Certain changes in the form of my receptacle may be made Withoutdeparting from. the scope of my invention, in which I claim:

1. In a bobby pin receptacle of the character described, a rectangularcompartmented body portion constructed to hold bobby pins, an invertedsubstantially V-shaped opener and guide attached to the front of saidbody portion, an indentation in said body portion providing a secondopener on the front of said body portion, a pointed opener attached tothe rear of said body portion having a retaining guide superimposed overand attached to said pointed opener and a suction cup and stem attachedto said retaining guide whereby said receptacle may be detachablysecured to a smooth vertical surface.

2. In a bobby pin receptacle and opener of the character described, arectangular compartmented body portion constructed to hold bobby pins, asubstantially V-shaped opener and guide attached to the front of saidbody portion, an indentation in said body portion providing a secondopener on the front of said body portion, a triangular opener attachedto the rear of said body portion having a retaining guide superimposedover and attached to said triangular opener and a suction cup and stemattached to said retaining guide said suction cup having its lower edgeeven with the base of said body portion whereby said receptacle may bedetachably secured to a smooth vertical surface one of said openersbeing operable when said receptacle is detached from said smoothvertical surface.

3. In a bobby pin receptacle of the character described a rectangularcompartmented body portion constructed to hold bobby pins, a removabletop for said holder, a protruding and inverted substantially V-shapedopener and guide attached to the front of said body portion, anindentation in said body portion providing a second opener on the frontof said body portion, a pointed opener attached to the rear of said bodyportion having a retaining guide superimposed over and attached to saidpointed opener and a suction cup and stem attached to said retainingguide whereby said receptacle may be detachably secured to a smoothvertical surface.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,511,768 Carlson June 13, 1950 2,528,991 Auman Nov. 7, 1950 2,553,246Formica May 15, 1951 2,627,860 Harris Feb. 10, 1953 2,629,389 WestbyFeb. 24, 1953

